News

On 4 June in Paris, Lithuanian delegation, headed by the Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius, received an official invitation to start accession process to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Foreign Minister of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius after participating in the closing session of the OECD Ministerial Council and meeting of the Lithuanian delegation with OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurría, signed an Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Lithuania and the OECD on the Privileges,  Immunities and Facilities granted to the Organization. Linkevičius stressed that this Agreement is the first concrete step towards Lithuania's membership in the OECD. By this Agreement Lithuania will provide the OECD representatives the same privileges and immunities as are assumed by the OECD Member States. It will become an integral part of the accession documents, which, after completing the accession negotiations with the OECD, must be ratified by Lithuania.

The OECD Ministerial Council invitation has crowned Lithuania's efforts of almost two decades to become a member of the OECD. Lithuanian authorities will carry on further intensive technical accession process, which is expected to be completed in about two years.

OECD is a unique international organization that brings together political representation with profound expert analysis capabilities in order to find the best solutions to global economic and social processes. So far the organization is comprised of only 34 Member States, all of which have achieved high level of economic development. More than 250 OECD committees and working groups allow experts and senior officials of the member states to assess reforms carried out by the partners, to share experience and to apply the best global practices at home, thus reinforcing the economic stability and efficient decision-making of the organization’s Members.